London Forum – The Middle East Question – April 16, 1951 – Gordon Skene Sound Collection –
In the years immediately after World War 2, it was inevitable those countries who fought alongside the allies, as colonies or protectorates were now seeking independence from what had been Colonial rule for many years. The biggest, of course, was India; a nation which now in 2023 surpasses China in sheer volume of population. In 1947 India was no longer a colony and it set into motion a series of movements from other nations, all striving for the same thing; independence and the right of self-determination.
In this episode of the BBC World Service Program London Forum, the discussion centers around what was developing in the Middle East – the unrest in Egypt and the newly elected Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh in Iran. Iran was a particularly thorny issue as Britain had been involved in a co-venture with the Iranian government (BP – British Petroleum) and Mossadegh had promised to nationalize oil production and effectively kick British Petroleum out of the picture. Negotiations were going on but getting nowhere and it would eventually take a U.S. backed coup to settle things in Britain’s favor.
The other issue was the creeping Nationalism that was gaining a foothold in Egypt and other Arab nations (hence the level of unrest). Nationalism would be a key element in the rise of Gamal Abdul Nassar, who would succeed after the overthrow of King Farouk in 1952. Egypt was also involved in the attack on the newly formed state of Israel in 1948. Much of the Arab world had fallen under the spell of The Muslim Brotherhood, yet it was strongest in Egypt, since Egypt had done so poorly in their conflict with Israel that it aided the movement to depose King Farouk and sped up the move to oust the King.
But overall, it was the Cold War era – and with all this newly established independence came threats of Communist influence by way of military aid and overtures from Moscow to bolster influence.
So the Middle East, as well as being a hotbed of political upheaval also became the focal point for the tug-of-war between East and West and the contest for Hearts and Minds.
Here is that discussion as it was first broadcast over the BBC World Service on April 13, 1951.
